The Lumens
by erintrovert
Summary: The virus that killed half the world...and the only people immune to it. Gilbert thought he would never get revenge, or find a friend. Now that all will change. Human/Apocalypse AU PruCan with fem!Canada, plus others to come.
1. Chapter I

**This is the first fanfic that I've actually uploaded because I'm really self-conscious about this kind of stuff. Hope you all enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: Hetalia does not belong to me and I have no intention of making profit off of it. The characters belong to Hidekaz Himaruya.**

**_XxX_**

_Chapter I: The Light in the Cabin_

I ran.

Helicopters droned overhead, spotlights searched the desolate ground for signs of life, and I ran. I had been running for a while now, ever since the virus hit.

How long ago was that now? Seven, eight years maybe? I had lost count, it had all happened so fast.

**_XxX_**

The Mens virus hit so suddenly, that within the first 2 weeks, over a billion people had perished across the globe. It was a disease of the mind, infecting the brain so fast that it would kill an average human in a day of them contracting the virus. It was too difficult to treat. No one knew where it originated, or how to diagnose it. It was untreatable.

After the first wave hit, the countries of the world sent their best biochemists and neurologists to form Victus, an organization dedicated to creating a vaccine for the Mens virus. My father, Otho Beilschmidt, was sent from Germany with the awesome me and my younger brother, Ludwig, to live at the base of Victus while he worked. Refugees flooded into underground shelters, all of them tested for anomalies in their brain. If they had the slightest trace of the virus, they were killed immediately on the spot.

The only people who seemed to have no trace of Mens were the Lumens, A rare handful of people who were blessed with light hair and pale eyes that seemed to give off a radiant light and gave them their name. I was one of them. Once the scientists discovered this new piece of information, they immediately began capturing the Lumens and testing them, my own father even turned against me. During their research, they found that if the Lumens were under intense danger or angered, an Imitation, or power of the mind would be activated and they would lash out. After months of unimaginable pain from the tests that left scars littered across my skin, some of us managed to escape. Once away from Victus, we did the only thing we could do, we ran.

**_XxX_**

Now, here I was, running once again. Ash flew up behind me as I sprinted across the barren landscape and hurdled across piles of rubble created by the latest nuclear bomb dropped in hopes of dispersing the Mens virus and the escaped Lumens from the surface .A wicked grin plastered on my face and my bright eyes wild, I sprinted through the old town and into the ruins of an old building. Hoping that the small section of roof that was left would be enough to give me cover.

Panting heavily, I glanced up at the dark sky for any signs of my pursuers as I regained my breath. Man, were those guys persistent. But they would never catch the awesome Gilbert Beilshmidt!

"Nice try, _abschaum!_" I shouted at the retreating helicopters.

When I was sure they were gone for good, I climbed out from the rubble, muttering curses, and walked into the street, scanning the area or any means with which to assuage the growing hunger that had been nagging me all day. Shaking off ash and rubble that was coating my beat up jacket and white hair, I glanced around and spotted a small forest in the distance. Feeling a sense of relief, I started walking toward what was left of the once thriving forest, hoping it may still house a few surviving animals.

Reaching the forest, I began looking for places where I could set up traps. After my escape, I was forced to live off the rudimentary skills that my traitor father had taught me and Ludwig before Mens hit. Now, I easily began building traps and started to make a fire. Then, I created a bow and arrow with my Imitation and set out to get some much needed food.

As I hunted, my mind wandered back to my brother and father. I still have bitter feelings for Otho, hell, I would kill him if I ever saw him again, but it was my little _bruder_ that I thought of the most. He was only a few years younger than me, but he had always been more mature. While I was always quick to act and had a more unruly nature, he was always calm and composed. I had always been fiercely protective of him, fighting off school bullies and consoling him after our mother died. I blamed myself for his death. If only he had been born a Lumen and not me, he wouldn't have died like all the rest.

My train of thought was brought to an abrupt halt when I spotted a faint light in my peripheral vision, my enhanced eyesight making it easier to see things at long range. I turned my head sharply and narrowed my bright red eyes.

"_Was zum Teufel?_" I muttered, darting behind trees as I slowly closed in on the source of the light. A small cabin came into view. The faint light of a lantern flickering through the windows and a stream of smoke slowly drifting out of the flue. The wood was seriously rotted, and there were strips of new wood covering the multiple holes in the walls. I would have thought it was abandoned, but the light inside proved otherwise, and I wasn't going to pass up the chance of finding another Lumen.

I approached the cabin cautiously, afraid of how dangerous the person inside would be. My time spent with the other Lumens in captivity hadn't been the best experience, and most of them had gone insane from the brutal tests, lashing out with their Imitations and seriously injuring anyone within range. I notched an arrow and took a defensive stance, ready to use my Imitation if need be. I took a deep breath to muster my courage, and kicked down the door.

"_Hände hoch!_" I shouted. My arrow following my eyes, I surveyed the house, doing a quick 360° of the small one-room cabin for any danger. There was a small kitchen with a wood-burning stove and a small table. There was a messy twin bed in the corner next to the brightly lit fireplace. As I turned back to the door I spotted a dark smear on the wall and walked over to it. I reeled back in shock when I realized that it was a bloody handprint, and looking around the room I spotted more of them accompanied by drops of blood on the floor.

"_Oh Gott…_" I whispered, putting my hand on the table for support, flinching when I felt it land in a pool of the thick liquid. "_Es ist frisch_...Hello?" I had heard shuffling behind me, and quickly turned around to see what it was, and to maybe help whoever was hurt enough to lose all this blood.

When I spun back around towards the fireplace, immediately freezing as I came face-to-face with a knife floating in midair, its' point right between my eyes. I quickly backtracked, but stopped short when I felt another blade pressing against my back. I was trapped.

"_Scheiße_" I croaked. My bow and arrow immediately evaporating with a red flash.

"_PAS UN AUTRE MOUVEMENT!_" A fierce voice shouted.

Looking around in confusion to where the voice came from, I was even more startled when a panel of the wall next to the fireplace swung open forcefully and banged against the wall. A small figure stepped out of the blackness of the wall and into the light.

**_XxX_**

**Abschaum- Scum**

**Was zum Teufel- What the hell**

**Hände hoch- Hands up**

**Oh Gott- Oh god**

**Es ist Frisch- It's fresh**

**Scheiße- Shit**

**Pas un autre mouvement- Not another move**


	2. Chapter II

_**Thank you to everyone who read my first chapter, it really meant a lot to me. I'll try to update every week from now on, but I might not update for the next 2 weeks because of finals, so stay with me!**_

_**DISCLAIMER: Hetalia does not belong to me and I have no intention of making profit off of it. The characters belong to Hidekaz Himaruya.**_

**XxX**

_Chapter II: What Exactly Happened Here?_

A young girl, about 19 years old, stared at Gilbert with emotionless eyes. She looked livid, glaring at him ferociously with eerily glowing purple eyes. Her light blond hair was messily pulled into two loose braids reaching her midriff. Her clothes were tattered and covered in dirt. Gilbert glanced down at her side, taking in a large gash that was still bleeding profusely. It seemed like she tried to staunch the pumping blood, because bloody bandages were hanging from the wound and her arms, which were held up in front of her as she pressed the levitating knives against him. It was clear the wound was serious. She was panting heavily, her skin damp with sweat and her eyes glazed over, though they still held a dangerous glint. The angles of her body were sharp and angled, and her face looked hollow and gaunt, half-starved and desperate.

Gilbert stared, wide-eyed, at the small girl that so much reminded him of himself when he had escaped Victus. He reminded himself to stay nonthreatening and calm to this wounded and frightened girl.

"H-hey…" he stammered, "um...I'm not here to hurt you, I-I just want to help. Ok?" He grimaced at his lack of people skills. Wow, was this really what 7 years of solitude did to you? He struggled to explain the situation.

"You really don't have to panic, it's just the awesome me, Gilbert! Not one of those _idioten_." he said, gesturing to the ceiling, pressing his lips shut when the knives pressed closer to him. Swallowing roughly, he struggled to stay friendly to the stranger, who was still glaring at him.

Ok, let's start again. Taking a deep breath, he began speaking in soothing tones, looking at her earnestly to prove his point. "I understand that you're scared, believe me, I was too. But we sane Lumens have to stick together, ok? I want to help, I really do, but you can't stay in this cage forever, can you Birdie?"

His words grew confident as he continued to speak, and the strange girl's eyes changed, growing more hopeful as the tension began to ease out of her small frame. The knives clattered to the floor as she slumped onto the bed, her breathing ragged and her eyes growing moist with tears. They spilled over her gaunt cheeks, creating tracks through her dirty face, and she was making soft whimpering noises as her breath hitched.

Gilbert rushed over the bed, his brotherly instincts acting up when he thought that they had all but disappeared after such a long time. He quickly began to assess her injuries, he had lived with a doctor after all, and had even thought about becoming one before the virus had come. Other than minor cuts and bruises, the only serious injuries were the large gash and a bump on her forehead.

He began working on the still bleeding wound on her side, ripping off a piece of fabric from the bed sheets and wetting it with the water he kept in a bottle. He quickly pressed the soaked piece of cloth to the wound, muttering apologies as she yelped in pain. Once cleaned, he took a fresh bandage from his backpack, wrapping it tightly around her stomach as he continued putting pressure onto the wound, hoping that his mediocre medical skills would help.

He took notice as he treated her that she was crying out for someone softly. Or pleading? He couldn't tell. "Hey...what exactly happened here, Birdie?" He asked softly, looking up at her as he continued treating her. She immediately shot up, standing on shaking legs as she looked around frantically for someone who wasn't there.

"Alfred?! ALFRED! _OÙ ÊTES VOUS?!_ "She screamed in a hoarse voice repeatedly, tears once again streaming down her face.

"Birdie calm down! Stop! You'll open up your wound again!" Gilbert exclaimed, trying to push her back down on the bed as she struggled to run out of the cabin. She writhed around in his arms, her wild eyes pleading with an invisible being. Random objects in the room began to lift up and swirl in the air as her pale eyes began to glow.

"BIRDIE, WHAT IN _GOTTES_ NAME HAPPENED HERE?!" Gilbert shouted, shaking her roughly, trying to get some sense of sanity out of her. He whipped his head around as a chair flew out the window. He had to stop this, and fast.

She suddenly stopped thrashing, slowly turning her from the invisible being and staring at Gilbert with wide eyes, the glow dissipating from them. "They took him…" she sobbed, "They took Alfred, _mon_ _Dieu_, they took him...We were just out hunting,_ honnête_, then they came from the sky and attacked us. He saved me, but they took him." She slumped against him as she continued on, all the energy that was there a few moments ago was now gone.

"Whoa there, Birdie," he soothed, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'll help you find Alfred, but you need to rest for now, that's a pretty nasty wound you have there."

She glanced at him, "_Merci_,um…" she broke off, puzzled.

"Gilbert. Gilbert Beilschmidt." He chuckled.

She smiled weakly. "Madeline Williams."

"Now!" Gilbert exclaimed, jumping to his feet and brushing off his clothes, "You need to get your sleep if we're going to go running off after this Alfred guy tomorrow." He said, pointing to Madeline with an obnoxious grin. "I will hear no excuses," he cut in when she began to speak, "I have a bone to pick with those _idioten_, and I know exactly how to get into their labs, so you need me." He puffed up his chest, glancing at Madeline out of the corner of his eye, making sure she didn't try to stop him again.

"Go to sleep, little Birdie, I'll make sure they don't come again. I promise." He assured, seeing the slightest glimmer of doubt in her gaze.

**XxX**

A few hours later, Gilbert had settled himself into the chair near the fire, picking at the stuffing that was seeping through the crack in the old leather. Running through the plan he had in his head over and over again, he praised himself for finding a friend for once in seven years. He felt oddly protective toward the small girl, even though he just met her a few hours ago. He glanced over at the bed, making sure that her breathing was steady before turning back to the fire.

Flames reflecting in his red eyes, they began to blaze. _You won't anyone I love anymore, old man._ He thought, fists clenching. _Be prepared._

**XxX**

**Idioten- Jerks**

**Où êtes-vous- Where are you**

**Gottes- God's**

**Mon Dieu- My God**

**Honnête- Honest**

_**Reviews are greatly appreciated!**_


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